Creamy Gin Pasta Sauce

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it generously and cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water before draining.
10 ounces dried penne pasta
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the shallot and garlic for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, stirring often.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium shallot
2 large garlic cloves
Stir in the tomato paste and red chili flakes and continue to cook for another minute.
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
Pour in the gin and let it sizzle for about 1 minute to allow the alcohol to cook off a bit.
½ cup gin
Next, add the heavy cream and mix well until you have a smooth sauce.
1 cup heavy cream
Add the cooked pasta to the pan and stir well until coated in sauce. Use some of the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce if it looks too thick.
Stir in the grated Parmesan and adjust the seasoning to taste. Garnish with fresh basil and serve immediately, with some extra grated Parmesan on top if you like.
⅓ cup Parmesan
6-8 fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste